The New England Joint Board Podcast

Member Spotlight: Rose Souliotis

This month's episode of the New England Joint Board Podcast features a conversation with one of our newest union members, Rose Souliotis. Rose is a shift leader at Darwin’s, Ltd., a local group of coffeeshops that recently organized with us this fall. We’ll be hearing from Rose about what it’s like to work in a coffeeshop, how skilled this type of work truly is, and what it was like to be on the inside of a union organizing effort. If you’re a union member and would like to have your work featured in a future episode, please reach out and let me know! For more coverage of Darwin's union organizing effort: * "Workers at Darwin’s Ltd., a Group of Cambridge Cafes, Are Forming a Union [https://boston.eater.com/2021/9/15/22675401/darwins-ltd-cafe-cambridge-workers-organizing-union]" - Terrence Doyle, Eater Boston * "Employees at Local Coffee Shops Forge Ahead With Unionization Efforts [https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2021/10/1/darwins-pavement-unionization/]" - Tracy Jiang & Davin Shi, Harvard Crimson * "Food service has been a notoriously difficult industry to unionize. Coffee shop workers have emerged as a potential bright spot. [https://thecounter.org/coffeeshops-starbucks-union-buffalo-nlrb-minimum-wage/]" - Matthew Sedacca, The Counter * "COFFEE SHOP WORKERS ORGANIZE, INSPIRE OTHERS [https://digboston.com/coffee-shop-workers-organize-inspire-others/]" - Chris Hues, DigBoston * "ANOTHER REGIONAL RESTAURANT CHAIN FACES A UNIONIZATION PUSH [https://www.restaurantbusinessonline.com/workforce/another-regional-restaurant-chain-faces-unionization-push]" - Peter Romeo, Restaurant Business

Member Spotlight: Otto Herrera

This month's episode of the New England Joint Board Podcast features a conversation with union member Otto Herrera. Otto works as a saute chef with Sodexo at Curry College. We want to be using the platform of this podcast to highlight the work that our members are doing. Otto has been an active Union member for six years now, and he's become a strong voice for the Union. We'll hear from him what it's like to work in food service on a college campus, what the pandemic was like at his workplace, and the importance of solidarity in the Union. If you would like to have your work featured in a future episode, please reach out and let me know!

Paid Family & Medical Leave/Rep. Ken Gordon

Paid Family & Medical Leave (PFML) is now available in Massachusetts, New York, and Rhode Island. PFML will also be available to workers across Connecticut in 2022.  Mitch talks with Massachusetts State Representative Ken Gordon about the creation of new PFML benefits, and their impacts on both the economy & our lives. For more information on PFML in your state, please follow these links: * Massachusetts [https://paidleave.mass.gov] * Rhode Island [http://ripaidleave.net] * Connecticut [https://ctpaidleave.org/s/?language=en_US] * New York [https://paidfamilyleave.ny.gov]

#OurShot/Christine Pontus, RN & Dr. Kevin Kavanagh

On this episode your hosts Kat, Mitch, & Ryan look back at life in the pandemic and discuss their experiences with the COVID-19 vaccines. We also interview Christine Pontus, RN, Associate Director of Health and Safety with the Massachusetts Nurses Association & Dr. Kevin Kavanagh of Health Watch USA to learn about the science behind the vaccines.   1. Find a vaccine clinic near you (CDC)  [https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-19/reporting/vaccinefinder/about.html] 2. Support the Nurses of Worcester's Saint Vincent's Hospital  [https://www.nejb.us/svhnursestrike/] 3. UNITE HERE's #OurShot Campaign [https://unitehere.org/campaign/our-shot/]  4. More info on Health Watch USA  [https://www.healthconference.org] 5. More info from Chris & Kevin [https://www.nejb.us/wp-content/uploads/COVID-19-Vaccines.pdf]

Who is Marty Walsh?/Warren Pepicelli

Welcome to the first episode of the New England Joint Board's podcast! We're excited to be introducing a new way to speak with and hear from members (and those who are interested in the labor movement). On this episode your hosts Kat, Mitch, & Ryan discuss Boston Mayor Marty Walsh's record as he transitions to his new role as U.S. Secretary of Labor under the Biden/Harris administration. We also interview Warren Pepicelli, NEJB Manager and UNITE HERE Executive Vice President, to hear his perspective on the labor movement - where we're coming from, and where we're going. * "Back to Boston: The Office of Returning Citizens [https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2018/2/12/office-of-returning-citizens/]" - Harvard Crimson (2018) * Pager, D., Western, B., & Sugie, N. (2009). Sequencing Disadvantage: Barriers to Employment Facing Young Black and White Men with Criminal Records [https://scholar.harvard.edu/files/pager/files/annals_sequencingdisadvantage.pdf]. The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, 623, 195-213. * Geiger, B. (2006). The Case for Treating Ex-Offenders as a Suspect Class [https://lawcat.berkeley.edu/record/1120602?ln=en]. California Law Review,94(4), 7th ser. * Kirklin, J. (2011). TITLE VII PROTECTIONS FOR INMATES: A MODEL APPROACH FOR SAFEGUARDING CIVIL RIGHTS IN AMERICA'S PRISONS [https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1857211]. Columbia Law Review, 111(5), 1048-1089.